Ephesians 6:10-20 [ESV] – The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Related verses:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. – 2 Timothy 2:3-4
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7
And give no opportunity to the devil. – Ephesians 4:27
Questions
- Why would the Apostle Paul suggest to put on this figurative armor?
- According to Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, who are our real enemies? What is the real war taking place in the world?
- Is it ever appropriate to fight against flesh and blood? Explain.
- In describing the armor of God, why would Paul start with the truth (in reference to the Belt of Truth)?
(Read John 8:44, John 14:6, and John 17:17) - When talking about armor, we can see that the breastplate protects the heart. What can make our own hearts righteous before God?
- Ephesians repeatedly reminds us to “stand” and “stand firm.” What can shoes of the Gospel of Peace do to help us stand firm?
- In Roman times, soldiers would sometimes dip their shields into water when they knew enemy soldiers were about to attack them with flaming arrows. What could we “dip” our own shields in to help ward off flaming darts. (Hint: Read Romans 10:17)
- The battlefield of the mind is a primary place where many of our struggles are fought. How might the Helmet of Salvation factor into this?
- Read Matthew 4:1-11. What did Jesus do in response to every temptation of the devil?
- Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Now read Revelation 19:13-15. Specifically, how will the Lord Jesus Christ strike down His enemies at the Second Coming?
- How should we pray? What are the things we should pray about?